Georgia Department of Agriculture Awarded Farm to School Grant

Courtesy United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service

 

The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service announced this morning that the Georgia Department of Agriculture will receive a $100,000 Fiscal Year 2014 Farm to School Service Support Grant.

 

Hundreds of applicants across the country competed for a limited amount of funding. The overwhelming interest in this round of USDA Farm to School grants was exciting, but also made the selection process extremely difficult. The Department's application stood out among so many others because it demonstrated strong experience and readiness to conduct farm-to-school initiatives; showed that Department leaders are thinking critically about opportunities and challenges; outlined goals closely aligned with USDA's; proposed a reasonable scope and budget; and gave USDA staff confidence that the farm-to-school program will be implemented with or without continued federal support.

 

The grant funding period is Dec. 1, 2013, through Nov. 30, 2015. The Department is one of 71 projects in 42 states and the District of Columbia to receive support through this program, which is an effort to better connect school cafeterias and students with local farmers and ranchers.

 

"In rural and urban communities across the country, farm-to-school is teaching students where food comes from and how it gets to their plate, and encouraging them to make healthier food choices in the cafeteria and at home," US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said. "Farm-to-school programs are an investment in the health of our nation's children and in the vibrancy of rural economies."

 

In 2010, the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act was amended to establish a Farm to School Program to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm-to-school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. The Support Service Grant provides funding for school districts or schools just starting to incorporate farm-to-school program elements into their operations.

 

The grants help schools respond to the growing demand for locally sourced foods and increase market opportunities for producers and food businesses, including food processors, manufacturers and distributors. Grants will also be used to support agriculture and nutrition education efforts such as school gardens, field trips to local farms and cooking classes.